Hebrews 1:14

1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those ¹  who will inherit salvation?

Hebrews 1:2

1:2 in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, ²  whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world. ³ 

Hebrews 2:11

2:11 For indeed he who makes holy and those being made holy all have the same origin, ⁴  and so ⁵  he is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, ⁶ 

Hebrews 6:17

6:17 In the same way ⁷  God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeable, ⁸  and so he intervened with an oath,

Psalms 104:4

104:4 He makes the winds his messengers,

and the flaming fire his attendant. ⁹ 

Isaiah 6:2

6:2 Seraphs ¹⁰  stood over him; each one had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, ¹¹  and they used the remaining two to fly.

Ezekiel 1:13-14

1:13 In the middle ¹²  of the living beings was something like ¹³  burning coals of fire ¹⁴  or like torches. It moved back and forth among the living beings. It was bright, and lightning was flashing out of the fire. 1:14 The living beings moved backward and forward as quickly as flashes of lightning. ¹⁵ 

Daniel 7:10

7:10 A river of fire was streaming forth

and proceeding from his presence.

Many thousands were ministering to him;

Many tens of thousands stood ready to serve him. ¹⁶ 

The court convened ¹⁷ 

and the books were opened.

Zechariah 6:5

6:5 The messenger replied, “These are the four spirits ¹⁸  of heaven that have been presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.

[1:14]  ¹ tn Grk “sent for service for the sake of those.”

[1:2]  ² tn The Greek puts an emphasis on the quality of God’s final revelation. As such, it is more than an indefinite notion (“a son”) though less than a definite one (“the son”), for this final revelation is not just through any son of God, nor is the emphasis specifically on the person himself. Rather, the focus here is on the nature of the vehicle of God’s revelation: He is no mere spokesman (or prophet) for God, nor is he merely a heavenly messenger (or angel); instead, this final revelation comes through one who is intimately acquainted with the heavenly Father in a way that only a family member could be. There is, however, no exact equivalent in English (“in son” is hardly good English style).

[1:2]  ³ tn Grk “the ages.” The temporal (ages) came to be used of the spatial (what exists in those time periods). See Heb 11:3 for the same usage.

[2:11]  ⁴ tn Grk “are all from one.”

[2:11]  ⁵ tn Grk “for which reason.”

[2:11]  ⁶ tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). The context here also indicates both men and women are in view; note especially the collective τὰ παιδία (ta paidia) in v. 14.

[6:17]  ⁷ tn Grk “in which.”

[6:17]  ⁸ tn Or “immutable” (here and in v. 18); Grk “the unchangeableness of his purpose.”

[104:4]  ⁹ tc Heb “and his attendants a flaming fire.” The lack of agreement between the singular “fire” and plural “attendants” has prompted various emendations. Some read “fire and flame.” The present translation assumes an emendation to “his attendant” (יו in the Hebrew text being virtually dittographic).

[6:2]  ¹⁰ tn Hebrew שָׂרָף (saraf, “seraph”) literally means “burning one,” perhaps suggesting that these creatures had a fiery appearance (cf. TEV, CEV “flaming creatures”; NCV “heavenly creatures of fire”). Elsewhere in the OT the word “seraph” refers to poisonous snakes (Num 21:6; Deut 8:15; Isa 14:29; 30:6). Perhaps they were called “burning ones” because of their appearance or the effect of their venomous bites, which would cause a victim to burn up with fever. It is possible that the seraphs seen by Isaiah were at least partially serpentine in appearance. Though it might seem strange for a snake-like creature to have wings, two of the texts where “seraphs” are snakes describe them as “flying” (Isa 14:29; 30:6), perhaps referring to their darting movements. See the note at 14:29.

[6:2]  ¹¹ sn Some understand “feet” here as a euphemistic reference to the genitals.

[1:13]  ¹² tc The MT reads “and the form of the creatures” (וּדְמוּת הַחַיּוֹת, udÿmut hakhayyot). The LXX reads “and in the midst of the creatures,” suggesting an underlying Hebrew text of וּמִתּוֹךְ הַחַיּוֹת (umittokh hakhayyot). The subsequent description of something moving among the creatures supports the LXX.

[1:13]  ¹³ tc The MT reads “and the form of the creatures – their appearance was like burning coals of fire.” The LXX reads “in the midst of the creatures was a sight like burning coals of fire.” The MT may have adjusted “appearance” to “their appearance” to fit their reading of the beginning of the verse (see the tc note on “in the middle”). See M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 1:46.

[1:13]  ¹⁴ sn Burning coals of fire are also a part of David’s poetic description of God’s appearance (see 2 Sam 22:9, 13; Ps 18:8).

[1:14]  ¹⁵ tc The LXX omits v. 14 and may well be correct. The verse may be a later explanatory gloss of the end of v. 13 which was copied into the main text. See M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 1:46.

[7:10]  ¹⁶ tn Aram “were standing before him.”

[7:10]  ¹⁷ tn Aram “judgment sat.”

[6:5]  ¹⁸ tn The Hebrew term translated “spirit” here may also be translated “wind” or “breath” depending on the context (cf. ASV, NRSV, CEV “the four winds of heaven”; NAB similar).